Out at the Mall: More In Person Shopping Can Help Stores; Interest Shown in AMC Theaters

News story here.

With the news this week that women’s clothing store Maurices in the Village Mall is closing later this month on the 22nd, Vermilion Advantage CEO Tim Dudley says it’s definitely a tough goodbye.  He says even if stores are turning a small profit somewhere, the strategy these days seems to be “combine resources at the stores making more of a profit.”  And while Vermilion Advantage perhaps didn’t have a new women’s clothing store on their radar for 2023, that has certainly changed.

AUDIO: You’re looking at a 45-year history here in Danville, that you just surely hate to see end.  It is a great women’s clothing outlet, and they’ve done a great job here in Danville.  But yes, obviously it’s something we’re going to have to look into now.

Dudley says a team effort is needed to help local stores, and that includes on the consumers’ part.  Because while at home shopping may have made sense during the pandemic, getting too comfortable with it doesn’t necessarily pay off in the long run if you want good choices locally, and therefore a good local economy.

AUDIO: People stayed at home, and while they stayed at home they shopped online.  And when they did that, now they’ve gotten used to that.  And they’re all just still shopping on line.  And we’ve got to get out and make people aware again about how important it is to have these stories in our community; and have that revenue coming into our town; versus just going through the online process and not helping your community at all.

As for the now empty AMC Movie Theaters at the Village Mall, Dudley says; yes, he’s making calls about it, and interested individuals are also calling Vermilion Advantage.  So hopefully, sometime in 2023, someone will get the theaters running again.

AUDIO: We’ve had some individuals with some movie showing backgrounds that are showing interest in maybe, possibly trying to get that reopen.  So, we’re not shutting the door on anything as far as that goes.  If another company wants to come in, that’s great.  If some individual wants to take it over, that’s great too.  We’ll do everything in our power to help them.

The Village Mall’s AMC Theaters closed in mid-December.